A nanoengineered graphene coating could make it possible to generate hydroelectric power without disrupting river ecosystems. Humans have been harvesting the power of moving water for centuries, from waterwheel’s to hydroelectric dams. The only problem with most of these technologies is that they disrupt the natural path and speed of the water, creating conflict with the wildlife that lives in and around it.
Hydroelectricity is the most widely used form of renewable energy, supplying around 20 percent of the world’s electricity in 2006, which accounted for about 88 percent of electricity from renewable sources. Now researchers at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a new method to harvest energy from flowing water using a nanoengineered graphene coating. The new technology only produces small amounts of electricity so isn’t aimed at large scale electricity production, but rather at self-powered microsensors to be used in oil exploration.
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